“That’s sweet, but I was thinking more along the lines of…you would help get us out of here so she could try on dresses at a dress shop.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Why? Leaving isn’t a good idea.”
“I know, but it’s not for me. This is for Laura.” Reyna sat up with her knees tucked under her, the sheet covering her body. “It’s the magic, Becks. It’s standing in a dress shop and trying on a million dresses and findingthe one. So much has been robbed from us. I don’t want this robbed from Laura, too. Even if we were in the warehouses, she would have gotten that moment, you know? I’m the reason she was uprooted from that life. I want to give her that one magical moment.”
“Say I have a contact at a bridal shop who would work with us. I could probably get it to close for the day,” he confessed. “But ifIhad it done, it would get out, and people would talk.”
Reyna chewed on her lip as she considered it. There had to be a way to make it work. Her stomach flipped uncomfortably as she realized how it could happen. “I have an idea. It would involve a big favor from Penny.”
“Reyna…”
“Hear me out. You two are still fake engaged. You can have the store close for her, and then we can bring Laura in.”
His expression gave nothing away. “I have a feeling she will not like that plan.”
“I would be on my very best behavior. I would put aside all differences and be extremely appreciative for her help.” Reyna winced. “This isn’t about me or you or Penny. This is about Laura.”
He looked like he wanted to disagree, but then he sighed. “I will consult with her and see if she’ll agree.”
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!” Reyna beamed at him.
“I haven’t said yes.”
“But you’re very persuasive.”
He tugged her against him and pressed their lips together. “It is you who is persuasive.”
She trailed her hand down his bare chest. “So what are you doing for Christmas?”
He frowned and glanced away. “Christmas isn’t a holiday I celebrate. It’s laced with bad memories.”
There was a haunted look on his face. She wondered what had happened to him on Christmas, even as she knew that was a story he wasn’t ready to tell.
“Well, would you like to make new memories?” she asked, drawing his face back toward her. “Would you like to be my date to my brother’s wedding?”
When he didn’t say anything, she kept talking. “It’s a small thing. I don’t think that many people will be there. I just thought it might be nice. It’s a thing couples do. You know…boyfriends and girlfriends.” She was rambling, but she couldn’t stop. Then added hastily, “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”
“I do.”
“But?” she asked, instinctively knowing it was on the tip of his tongue.
“I don’t know if I can get away.”
“Oh.” She looked down at the bed. Her cheeks warmed.
“I will try to. I want to come.”
“I wish there wasn’t this secrecy around our relationship.”
“One day, things will be different.” He swept a lock of her dark hair out of her face. “Then we won’t have to hide anymore.”
“I look forward to that day.”
“More than my next breath.”
He brought his lips down to hers, and she sighed into the embrace. She, too, wished for the day when there were no longer barriers between them. But she didn’t know when or evenifthat day would ever come.
Reyna must have fallen asleep, but she didn’t remember doing so. She woke up groggy from an afternoon nap to find Beckham on the phone in her room. A computer and a stack of paperwork were in front of him. He looked so serious, back in his suit, all professional. It was a strange juxtaposition to the image of him being naked in her bed what felt like moments ago.
